Strange declarations, odd selections and weird desire to up run rates, are Pakistan blindly following Ben Stokes to their detriment?

FearlessRoar

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Pakistan's recent defeat to Bangladesh in the Rawalpindi Test has raised several questions about the team's strategy, approach, and overall performance. As a keen observer, I'm left wondering if the team is trying to emulate England's aggressive style without fully understanding the nuances of Test cricket in Pakistani conditions.

The decision to play an all-pace attack without any spinners was a surprising move, especially considering the flat pitch. It's clear that Pakistan misread the conditions, but what's more concerning is their inability to adapt and adjust their strategy mid-game.

The declaration in the first innings was another baffling move, with Mohammad Rizwan closing in on a double century and Shaheen Shah Afridi batting well. It seemed like Pakistan was trying to force a result, but ultimately, it backfired.

Pakistan's batting lineup, which should have been capable of easing to safety, crumbled under pressure. The rash shots played by Saud Shakeel, Babar Azam, and Shan Masood were a testament to the team's poor mindset.

It's becoming increasingly clear that Pakistan is trying to copy England's approach without fully understanding it. The team's aggressive mindset is admirable, but it needs to be tempered with a deeper understanding of the game.

The internal team issues, including disruptions, poor performances, and a potential historic series loss to Bangladesh, are taking a toll on the team's environment. The lack of cohesion and poor decision-making are evident in their performance.

The regression of key players like Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi is a concern, while the youngsters are struggling to make an impact. Pakistan's inability to win at home, with nine consecutive defeats, is a worrying trend.

Pakistan's Test team needs to take a step back and reassess their approach. They need to understand their strengths and weaknesses, adapt to different conditions, and develop a more nuanced strategy. Only then can they hope to turn their fortunes around.
 
Totally agree. I was making same points in the other threads.
The biggest issue here is the declaration. Had they played on for 30-40 overs scoring 90 odd runs a draw could have been secured.

This team is not capable of forcing a win with average players and non-existent game awareness.
 
Ben Stokes' methods have only/will only garner them the same 4-0/5-0 results in India and Australia anyway. Why is it worth following?
 
This is a good point. We can't seem to find a middle ground for test cricket. Sometimes we are too slow and let the game drift. Now we are upping the run rate, funky declarations & going without a specialist spinner in Asian sub Continent conditions?

I had quite high hopes for Shaan as test match captain after Australia. But he has seemed to regress unless it was one bad test match for his captaincy. But unless he scores some runs, he will be a lame duck captain if you lose a home series against Bangladesh.
 
Aussies probably would've been just fine with a 447 declaration.

It is just that Pakistani bowling attack was inexperienced (2 rookies and no proper spinner). So, they couldn't capitalize. Also, flat pitch didn't help.
 
There was nothing wrong with the declaration. By the logic being used here, no amount of runs would be enough for declaration
 
Pakistan are suffering across all formats. It has nothing to do with one declaration or trying to replicate England ( I'm not sure where this comparison has come from).

In any pressure situation, no matter the format, our team capitulates.
 
Nah, declaring at 450 runs is not bad. Bowling was poor after that and then batting collapsed.

Many team will declare at 450 runs, specially agaisnt BD, if rain is making you lose overs.
 
Nah, declaring at 450 runs is not bad. Bowling was poor after that and then batting collapsed.

Many team will declare at 450 runs, specially agaisnt BD, if rain is making you lose overs.

If anything, there was an argument to declare sooner. Who is going to play for the draw against Bangladesh. It’s not just the batting collapse, but the overall strategy going into the Test and no real plan B, they expected to show up and for the Bangla Tiger to fall, that’s just not Test cricket. This wasn’t some random side they were facing from the Habib Bank Department CC.
 
Pakistan is a failed state and the cricket team is now a reflection of that too.

And for too long they have gotten away with player politics and friendship drama, this is the culmination for a travesty of management and professionalism.
 
The declaration was fine, the main culprit is the bowling. The bowling attack has no tooth and unfortunately seems like Pakistan is only now realizing that they cannot rely on the bowling anymore. The whole bowling unit needs a revamp
 
Upping the run rate is exactly what's needed by Pakistan. Trying to slog in at 2 RPO is a recipe for disaster because Pakistani batsmen are neither technically sound enough nor mentally tough enough to cope with pressure situations. Had Pakistan played with intent and around 4 RPO in the 3rd innings, they would've definitely survived the match. Pakistan's performance against SL in SL was perfect. The difference here was that the bowling was toothless whereas in SL, Naseem was reversing the ball for fun and was penetrating.
 
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